Milan Women’s Fashion Week S/S 2020 Part 2
Gucci's showmanship and D&G Jungle Vibes
September 23, 2019
It’s been a sunny Milan season and the runways have been in step with the weather. Colorful and fresh collections from nearly every house with highlights from Dolce & Gabbana and Gucci on the last day. With Madonna on the soundtrack, Alessandro Michele ”Justified his fashion love.”
Gucci S/S 2020
Gucci had a fair share of unflattering headlines lately with its balaclava sweater’s resemblance to blackface, which prompted the company to issue an apology, and business news wires reporting that the growth engine of the Kering group has slowed down. What remedy would Alessandro Michele come up with for his latest show, which effectively closed the Milan season, was the question on the industry’s mind? Michele delivered with a paired down vision of his Gucci, which focused on subversively sexy clothes instead of his usual nerd chic and veering on costume design creations. While Madonna’s Justify my love boomed on the speakers at the company’s show space on Via Mecenate when Michele took his bow, he effectively confirmed his love for his occupation with this collection. “This is the most beautiful job in the world,” explained a happy Michele backstage.
The fashion show as a performance?
Michele has long proven that he has show master genes and with today’s opening sequence of all white cotton canvas work wear which often resembled strait jackets in an asylum, he cleansed the palate of the audience before the sound and lights went down and his line-up of laced-up dominatrixes with whips took center stage. It was a brilliant piece of showmanship.
The core of the collection?
Michele decided that he wanted to manifest his established love for the individual by focusing on sexual desires. So there were lots of see-through chiffon and lace dresses with bustiers and floor length skirts with knee-high boots or over pants often accessorized with a whip. Michele added graphic color blocking with black, red, green or blue. This felt distinctively fresh and new to the Gucci canon.
The tailoring?
The logo embossed Gucci suitings have become ubiquitous on the street style scene and Michele continued to pepper his runway with voluminous double-breasted jackets worn over pyramid pants for men and women. In fact, there was more tailoring than ever to juxtapose the sexiness.
Ever the fashion philosopher?
While Gucci show notes can often be meandering, this time they hit the nail on the head by closing with: ”Fashion is a space of political self-affirmation where the desire of the self can shine.”
Dolce & Gabbana S/S 2020
While Gucci’s sexy theme came as a surprise, the classy but achingly sexy black dress is part of Dolce & Gabbana’s DNA. Showing these roots plus adding an eye catching Sicilian jungle theme made their show a fashion spectacle.
What was best?
No other house in Milan has couture-like craftsmanship like Dolce & Gabbana. Highlights were the raffia pieces, which came crocheted, woven or embellished with crystals for dazzling effect. It’s well known that the duo can work a theme so the show space was done up with a Roberto Burle Marx-worthy set of palm trees and a leopard print runway. The looks featured all kinds of tropical plant and animal prints. A Milan theme considering Versace brought back its green J. Lo plunger.
What makes them stand out?
The duo understands that their physical stores are the most important component on the customers journey to the cash register. From closing down Via Montenapoleone two years ago and famously taking over Ralph Lauren’s Milan space, they invest heavily in their retail network, case in point: The new Via Spiga boutique.